There seem to be a lot of people experiencing an existential crisis right now. Over the last three years, we have been oscillating between excitement and uncertainty, especially around the idea of software engineering being upended by AI.

One thing that has always been true of any emerging technology is this: when a major breakthrough happens, it is usually followed by a wave of hype about what the future will look like. In the early stages, those predictions often sound hyperbolic because the technology has not yet matured enough to meet the expectations attached to it. But with most major advancements, progress continues. Over time, the technology improves to the point where what once seemed exaggerated starts to become part of reality. It may not arrive exactly as it was originally sold to us, but it often gains traction through unexpected avenues before eventually delivering on some version of that initial promise.

AI is no different. The advancements we are seeing now are built on decades of machine learning research, and whatever comes next will be built on the foundation being laid today. The concepts, systems, and models we may be using three to five years from now could look vastly different from what we are working with today. That is simply the nature of progress. We continue to advance, and we will continue to do so.

So if you are pursuing a role in tech, or in any other white-collar field, I still believe it is worth pursuing. You are simply beginning your journey from a different point in history. That does not make the path less meaningful; it just means you have the opportunity to grow alongside a major shift and to be part of shaping what that field becomes.

That is the exciting part: your inexperience can actually be an advantage. You may be more willing to explore, more open to new ways of doing things, and less attached to older assumptions about how work must be done.

The one thing you must always hold onto, though, are the fundamentals. Understanding why things are the way they are will always give you the context needed to shape what comes next. A strong grasp of the fundamentals provides clarity and understanding regardless of how much the tools, methods, or landscape changes, because in the end, those changes are still rooted in the same underlying principles.

So lean in. Leverage your inexperience, and be bullish about acquiring as much knowledge as you can from those who came before you. That wisdom can help you form a clearer picture of your destination. The path will not always be laid out for you, but that is where your agency matters most. It is through pursuing the unknown and learning through lived experience that you build the capacity to think analytically, weigh your options, and strengthen your intuition. That is what shapes the knowledge, judgment, and problem-solving ability needed to thrive in this moment and in the years ahead.